1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the deep water transfer of a first, smaller marine or amphibious vessel to a second, larger vessel that is a surface effect or air cushion vessel that travels upon a pressurized volume of air, wherein transfer includes depressurizing of the air cushion under the second vessel so that its cargo deck is lowered to an elevation that is at or near the water surface. Such transfer can optionally include a combination of ballasting and a lowering of pressure (or depressurization) of the volume of air under the second vessel.
The present invention also relates to an improved air cushion vehicle having a multiple lane loading ramp and deck arrangement with air propulsors that move between inner and outer positions for enabling transfer to a larger vessel (inboard propulsion position) and increased propulsion efficiency (outboard propulsion position).
2. General Background of the Invention
In the prior art, transfer of a smaller vessel to and from a larger vessel (or a first vessel to a second vessel) has typically been achieved by ballasting with water. Usually, a larger marine vessel is ballasted until a cargo deck of the larger marine vessel is at an elevation sufficiently low in the water to enable the smaller marine vessel to float on the water surface while traveling to the cargo deck of the larger vessel.
In general, air cushion vehicles or “ACV's” (also known as surface effect ships or hovercraft) are known. Examples of such ACV's are disclosed in the US Patents listed in the following table. The following table also lists some patents that involve transfer of item(s) to or from a surface effect vessel.
TABLE 1U.S. DocumentDateNo.Title(MM/DD/YYYY)1,976,046Waterfoil10/09/19342,405,115Floating Structure08/06/19463,065,723Supercavitating Hydrofoils11/27/19623,077,173Base Ventilated Hydrofoil02/12/19633,141,436Hydrofoil Assisted Air07/21/1964Cushion Boat3,458,007Captured Air Bubble (CAB)07/29/1969Ground Effect Machine3,589,058Toy Ground Effect Vehicle06/29/1971With Adjustable StabilizingWeight3,621,932Gas-Cushion Vehicles11/23/19713,817,479Helicopter Powered Air06/18/1974Cushioned Platform3,893,538Ground Effects Vehicle and07/08/1975An Air Terminal3,917,022Twin Cushion Surface Effect11/04/1975Vehicle3,987,865Gas-Cushion Vehicle Skirt10/26/19764,469,334Sealing System For The Air09/04/1984Cushion Of An Air-CushionVessel4,489,667Surface Effect Ship Seals12/25/19844,506,618Propeller And Keel03/26/1985Arrangement For SurfaceEffect Ships4,535,712Variable Air Cushion Mode08/20/1985Vehicle4,543,901Surface Effect Ship Air10/01/1985Cushion Seal System4,646,866Surface Effect Type, Side03/03/1987Keel Vessel Fitted With AnImproved Forward BuoyancyCushion Seal Apparatus4,660,492Catamaran Air Cushion Water04/28/1987Vehicle4,708,077Hull Shapes For Surface11/24/1987Effect Ship With Side WallsAnd Two Modes OfOperation4,714,041Structure of surface effect12/22/1987ship with side walls4,739,719Movable bow seal air ride04/26/1988boat hull4,767,367Integrated Combination08/30/1988Propeller Drive ShaftFairing and Water IntakeSea Chest Arrangement, ForHigh Speed Operating MarineCraft4,984,754Heli-Hover Amphibious01/15/1991Surface Effect Vehicle5,651,327Displacement, Submerged07/29/1997Displacement, Air CushionHydrofoil Ferry Boat5,711,494Aero-Hydroglider01/27/19985,860,383Displacement, Submerged01/19/1999Displacement, Air CushionHydrofoil Ferry Boat5,934,215Stabilized Air Cushioned08/10/1999Marine Vehicle6,293,216Surface Effect Ship (SES)09/25/2001Hull Configuration HavingImproved High SpeedPerformance and HandlingCharacteristics6,439,148Low-Drag, High-Speed Ship08/27/20022002/0164231Craft for Embarking/Landing11/07/2002On Unequipped Shorelines6,487,981Air Assisted Landing Craft12/03/20022003/0000440Air Assisted Landing Craft01/02/20036,526,903High speed M-shaped boat hull03/04/20036,609,472Stable efficient air08/26/2003lubricated ship2005/0211150Variable Hybrid Catamaran09/29/2005Air Cushion Ship2005/0236200Wrapped-cone fingers for10/27/2005skirt systems7,013,826Hybrid Catamaran Air Cushion03/21/2006Ship
Incorporated herein by reference are the foregoing and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,767,367; 4,984,754; 6,293,216; and 6,439,148. These incorporated by reference patents relate generally to air cushion vehicles, surface effect ships or hovercraft.